Karma Bites Back
by NightshadeDawn
Summary: My name is Karma. Ridiculous, I know. But hey, I didn't chose it. To make it worse, my full name is Karma Elle Potter. You guessed it, my big brother by four years is the one and only Harry Potter. And lords and ladies, this is only my first year at Hogwarts.
1. The First Letter: Prologue

It was my no good cousin's birthday when it all went wrong.  
I was not yet seven (picture is me!) and Dudley (more like Dummy) was turning eleven. I woke up to Dudley banging on the stairs above Harry's "room", if you can call it that. I pull my pillow over my head. Aunt Petunia walked over to the couch that served as my bed and pulled the pillow off.  
"Oh, no," she snapped. "You're not going back to sleep. You have work to do to make sure Dudley's birthday is perfect. Starting with cleaning up this room."  
"Yes Aunt Petunia," I said. I sat up and stretched my arms high over my head. Then I began cleaning up my sleeping things. I took them to the coboard and dumped them on the bed. I went over to the trunk that kept all my possessions in. I pulled out a yellow dress that was incredibly soft.  
My cloths were incredibly better than Harry's because only Aunt Petunia's old things would fit me.  
"Karma!" Aunt Petunia yelled.  
"Coming!" I called, slipping out of my night cloths and into the dress. I walked into the kitchen and ate the food Harry had made. He was a terrible cook, but it was all we had.  
I listened as Uncle Vernon droned on and on about the stupidity of the world these days.  
I finished my food and set the plate in the sink. Then I had an idea, a very devilish idea. I sat on the counter behind Uncle Vernon across from Harry. Then I started mimicking him.  
Harry rolled his eyes. I stuck my tongue out at him and point both my eyes toward my nose. Harry rocked with silent laughter.  
I smiled wide as I hopped down.  
"Come on, Harry," I said, dragging him out of the room. "We've got cleaning to do."  
We cleaned the house until we got a huge surprise, we'd be going to the zoo with them! I'd always wanted to go to the zoo! Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon weren't so happy though.  
"Any funny business, boy," Uncle Vernon warned Harry. "And you'll be in the closet for a week!"  
Everything went fine, I even got my first ice cream cone (it was chocolate of course)! But then my day had to go wrong in the reptile house.  
Harry stood by the giant boa after Dudley and Uncle Vernon left. I don't understand his fascination with snakes, personally, they creep me out.  
I walked over to Harry, reptiles really don't interest me anywho. I looked back and forth between the snake and my brother. Harry looked to be talking to the snake! "Harry," I asked. "Whatcha doin'?"  
"Talking to the snake," Harry answered simply. I rolled my eyes.  
"Harry, snakes can't talk."  
"This one can." Harry turned back to the snake. "We both know what it's like, people pressing their ugly face to you everyday." There was silence for a few seconds, with only the slight hissing of the snake.  
I caught sight of the plack on the side and started reading it. "I wonder of it was nice there," I said. "Sure must've been better than the Dursleys."  
Harry shrugged. "He says he was born in captivity." I blew a stray strand of hair from my face.  
"Trust me, I know the feeling." Suddenly, the snake started doing something. I stared in aww as it rose higher so it was looking me in the eye. Then I knew what Harry meant, this snake could talk. Kind of, I just got a feeling of what it was feeling. It wanted to go home.  
"Daddy!" shouted Dudley. "Look what the snake's doing!" Dudley ran over and shoved Harry and I put of the way. I was sent flying.  
Dudley pressed his fat, ugly face against the glass. Suddenly, there was no glass! Dudley fell into the cage and the snake slithered out.  
The snake hissed something and Harry said "No problem." And the snake left the building.  
Course, it WAS a big problem. It ended our trip to the zoo, and got Harry stuck in the closet for a week with no food. My aunt and uncle are cruel.  
A month later, it was almost Harry's birthday, though he wouldn't get any presents of course. Neither of us ever did.  
I covered my ears as Uncle Vernon and Dudley argued about who would go get the mail.  
"Make Harry get it," Dudley whined.  
"Harry, go get the mail," Uncle Vernon said.  
"Make Dudley get it," Harry returned.  
I groaned. "I'll get it," I said, jumping off the counter. I walked out of the room and got the mail from the mail slot in the front door and flipped through them.  
Bill...  
Post card...  
Bill...  
Bill...  
Holiday resort invitation...  
Bill...  
Dudley's school supplies list...  
Bill...  
Bill...  
Bill...  
Harry's acceptance letter to Hogwarts...  
I had to look at that again. Harry got excepted to a school called Hogwarts?! Had Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia applied him for this school? Or perhaps Harry himself? I ran into the kitchen and dumped everything but Harry's letter on Uncle Vernon's lap.  
"You've got a letter!" I shouted handing Harry the letter.  
"I've got a letter?" Harry asked. I nodded eagerly.  
"Open it!" I cried. Harry started to open it when Dudley took it from his hand.  
"Hey! That's mine!" Harry exclaimed. Uncle Vernon chuckled.  
"Who would be writing to you?" Uncle Vernon turned the paper over. He and the rest of my family stared at me and Harry like we were freaks.  
Well, that explained that. Harry didn't know about the letter and my aunt and uncle didn't seem to like this school, or whatever it was.  
Over the next few days, more and more letters arrived. More everyday, it seemed to double! Bit Uncle Vernon didn't let Harry have one.  
That Sunday, a million or more letters, all for Harry, came poring into the house.  
"We're going away!" Uncle Vernon yelled. "Far away, where they can't find us!"  
"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley whined. For once, I had to agree.  
An hour later, we were on the road, going far away from the place I called home for years. Uncle Vernon moved us into a rock, literally. It looked like a rock! It was really a broken, run down, one room shack. Truly something terrible.  
That night it rained, and it thundered. And I was scared. Me and Harry had to share the dirt floor with Dudley on the couch and my other relatives in the bedroom.  
I crawled over to Harry. "I'm scared," I whimpered. It wasn't usually like me to cry or be scared. But things weren't normal lately.  
Harry hugged me and rubbed my shoulder. "I know, but the storm will pass soon enough. Then everything will be back to normal."  
I sniffled. "Mummy and Daddy won't be back," I said. "And that's the only way we'll be a normal family is with them."  
Harry and I drew a cake in the dirt and wrote 'Happy Birthday Harry' in it. Harry blew on the candles and made a wish when Dudley's watch beeped midnight.  
A man pushed the door in and in came the biggest man I have ever seen who we later learned was named Rubeus Hagrid.  
Hagrid explained all about mine and Harry's parents were wizards and they were killed by a bad wizard by the name of Lord Voldamort, not in a car crash.  
We were also told, guess what, we were wizards! Well, technically I was a witch, but that's besides the point. Hogwarts was also a school for magic, but you had to be at least eleven to attend. Poo!  
Well, Hagrid took Harry the next morning to go shopping for school supplies. I was invited, but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia didn't let me.  
I turned seven June 16th, and Harry was soon on his way to Hogwarts.  
Little did I know, the next seven years would not only mean a great deal for Harry, but for me as well.  
This was only Harry's first year. Things just got interesting.


	2. Chapter 1:Shopping, Adopting, and Escape

It was five years later on Harry's birthday. I was ten turning eleven, my first year at Hogwarts was in September! Harry was going in to his fifth, and everyone though he was insane and a liar.  
Thanks, bro, for ruining my reputation before I'd even had the chance to get one.  
So, recap of the years.  
Year 1: Harry meets Ron and Herminoe and finds the sorcerer's stone and blah ah ble blah blah.  
Year 2: Harry, Ron, and Herminoe go back to Hogwarts and the chamber of secrets is opened, and a giant snake (have I mentioned I think these things are creepy?) that only Harry can understand is petrifying muggle borns. Herminoe included.  
Year 3: People don't want Harry to for back to school because Sirius Black (our godfather, FYI) was on the loose.  
Year 4: (I finally meet Herminoe! I met Ron in Harry's second year when the Weasleys rescued me and Harry) We go to a quittich game and I decide I want to play once I go to school. Harry goes on for his fourth year and gets put in the Triwizard tordement and is almost killed three times, me having to stick around for the third and wait.  
Let me tell you, I am not a patient person.  
So, anyway, I was waiting for Harry to get back from who knows where he'd gone. Harry was always disappearing lately.  
"Karma!" called Aunt Petunia. I groaned loudly.  
"Now what?" I shouted.  
Aunt Petunia walked into the room. "You will not speak to me that way, young lady. When I call you, you will come see what I want," Aunt Petunia said sternly. "You may be witch like my good for nothing sister, but it's still my job to raise you like a lady."  
I jumped to my feet. "Don't talk about my mother that way!" I shouted. "And I'm not a witch. I'm a wizzet."  
"I may talk about my sister anyway I want," Aunt Petunia huffed. "Now, come on. I won't be having you disgrace this house by wearing your brother's cloths."  
I groaned again, twisting the front of the shirt I was wearing in my hands. "But Aunt Petunia, I haven't got any other cloths. I've grown out of them two years ago," I whined.  
"Why do you think I'm taking you shopping?" she asked.  
I perked up a bit. I got to go shopping! For new cloths! For the first time EVER! This was going to be amazing.  
I skipped to the car, my braids swinging behind me.  
"Stop that skipping," Aunt Petunia snapped. "You're not a little girl anymore. And you need to get rid of those braids." I scowled at her but stopped skipping. "We'll be back in a couple of hours, dear!" Aunt Petunia called to Uncle Vernon. He nodded and waved her off.  
I was seriously reconsidering this shopping thing with my aunt. We rode in silence to the store.  
It was one of those ones that you had dresses custom made, just for you. The people measured me and I was let loose.  
I walked between the rows and rows of fabrics, feeling their texture and loving their color.  
I stopped when my hand came across the softest fabric I had ever felt. It was just cotton, but you never would have guessed. I turned to it and held a corner in both my hands.  
It was purple, my favorite color, which made it all the better.  
I imagined myself in a dress made of this fabric, a pretty but simple one. With slight puffy sleeves near the shoulders where they stopped. There was a white belt of a thin, silk like cord and the collar was rimmed with the same, and the dress ending at my knees.  
A store attendant came up to me, interrupting my fantasy.  
"Do you like that one?" she asked. I nodded.  
"I like this one very much."  
"Well, we'll just take this and see if it will work for any of the designs your mother wanted for you." I smiled wide, believing she had really seen Mum. But then I remembered.  
"That's my aunt," I said, bowing my head and folding my hands in front of me. "My mother's dead. And Aunt Petunia won't let me get something so pretty."  
The attendant brushed a piece of hair from my face. "It never hurts to try." She took the fabric from the shelf and led me to the front and asked to make a dress from the material.  
It took awhile, her discussion with Aunt Petunia, but I guess my aunt finally gave in because an hour later, I was modeling my new dress. My dream dress, the one in my fantasy.  
The attendant came up to me and smiled. "You looked simply beautiful," she said. I smiled back. Something looked different about her though. Before, she had blue eyes, now she had green. "Here, let me take those braids out and let's see how you look." I nodded.  
She walked behind me and undid my braids. My brown hair fell down my back in waves, and in the mirror, I looked like someone totally new.  
"Wow," I said. I smiled at my reflection.  
"Come along, Karma," Aunt Petunia said. "I still have more shopping to do."  
HER more shopping turned out to be MORE shopping for me so I looked decent. Geez, how much stuff do I really need? Not as much as Aunt Petunia was getting me. I probably wouldn't even wear half of this stuff.  
When we got shoes, she didn't even let me get tennis shoes! They were all dress shoes.  
When we got in the car to go home, I looked in the bag from one of our stops at a clothing store. All dresses. I looked in another bag. Dresses, shirts, and skirts. And another bag. Dresses, dresses, and more dresses!  
This was more girly than I can handle!  
"Aunt Petunia," I asked. "Didn't we get me any pants?"  
"What do you need pants for?" Aunt Petunia asked. "You're a girl."  
"Girls can wear pants," I told her. "We need them to do dirtier things like garden or, heaven forbid, we actually play."  
"Other girls may do those things, Karma," Aunt Petunia said. "But not in my household." We stopped in our parking space. "Go put your things away then get ready for dinner."  
I sighed and got out of the car. "Yes Aunt Petunia." I slammed the door and got the bags from the backseat and took them to my room. I threw them on my bed and sat down, looking at my lap.  
Ugh! Why couldn't my life be normal? Why couldn't I have grown up with REAL parents instead of an aunt and uncle who were so mean?  
I flopped on to my back, my hair spraying out under me. Well, Aunt Petunia had been nice by taking me shopping. And Uncle Vernon wasn't being mean and telling me rude things anymore.  
I studied the cracks on my ceiling as I thought. But the were being secretive about something... But what?  
I groaned as I decided I had better listen to Aunt Petunia. I pushed all my cloths Harry had given me to the side of my closet and placed all my new dresses in it. Then I neatly folded my new shirts and skirts and put them in my dresser. All my new shoes went to the bottom of the closet.  
I heard a shriek that sounded like Aunt Petunia. I hurriedly brushed my hair and put it in a ponytail as I ran down the stairs.  
I didn't even have the chance to find out what happened before I was being pushed aside as Uncle Vernon dragged Harry up the stairs.  
"What happened?" I asked Aunt Petunia as she helped Dudley into the car.  
"Harry happened," she snapped. I backed away from her then ran into the house.  
I pounded back up the stairs to Harry's room. I rattled the knob and could faintly hear it being rattled on the other side.  
I rushed to my room and looked out the window just as the rest of my family speed away to who knows where.  
"With the keys," I said. I folded my arms. "Now how am I going to figure out what happened?" I spotted the notepad and pencil on my night table. "Looks like it's the old writing game."  
I grabbed the things from my table and went back to Harry's room. I wrote 'WHAT HAPPENED?' on the paper and slid it under the door.  
It came out saying 'DUDLEY AND I RAN INTO DEMENTORS AND DUDLEY ALMOST GOT THE KISS.' I swallowed hard. Harry had told me all about the kiss, it meant worse than death. I would never wish it on anybody. I continued reading. 'AUNT PETUNIA AND UNCLE VERNON DON'T BELIEVE ME THOUGH.'  
I wrote Harry back, telling him our relatives were idiots. We stayed like for awhile, just talking back and forth.  
When Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon came back with Dudley, I was told to go to my room and stay there.  
I, naturally, didn't listen. I crept to the bottom of the stairs and hugged the failing as I listened to Harry tell my aunt and uncle what exactly happened.  
I heard Uncle Vernon coming back with Harry and ran to my room.  
I sat down in front of my door, preventing anyone one from entering. The click of the lock on Harry's door echoed in my ears for sometime.  
For some reason, this time felt different from all the other times one of us had gotten locked up.  
The next day, I was grounded from going anywhere or doing anything, and Harry was locked in his room, Aunt Petunia slipping him cold soup once a day.  
Since I couldn't really do anything else, I reread Harry's old school books for the thousandths time. I had every spell from year one to four memorized, and I couldn't wait to try them out.  
"Karma, go to your room," Uncle Vernon said after dinner one night.  
I finished off my piece of bread and headed up stairs.  
I looked for the book I was on at the moment: Charms, year three. But I couldn't find it. "I left it in the parlor, didn't I?" I asked myself. "Aunt Petunia is going to kill me." O decided to sneak down and grab it before Aunt Petunia noticed.  
I headed back downstairs to get my book from the parlor when I heard voices coming from it.  
Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had moved from the kitchen to the parlor. They would hate it if I walked in on their conversation. So I did the only thing a kid my age does when they know they shouldn't be listening in on grown ups, they listen in.  
I sat down on the stairs and listened.  
"What are we going to do with the boy?" Aunt Petunia asked. "We can't have him endangering anyone in this family any longer."  
"Do as Mardge suggests every time she's here, send him to the orphanage," Uncle Vernon said.  
"It's the best option out there," Aunt Petunia agreed. I had to strangle my gasp. Harry and I were going to be sent a an orphanage?! "But how will we keep Karma from having contact with him?"  
Now they wanted us split up?  
"You heard that letter the boy got, he's been expelled from that school," Uncle Vernon said. "She won't be able to talk to him there and we won't let her have anyway to communicate with him from here." What was he saying?  
"When do we tell her we're adopting her?" Aunt Petunia asked.  
"Not until that boy's gone," Uncle Vernon replied. I had to hold back tears. They couldn't know I'd heard. I rushed to the top of the stairs when I heard a loud voice say 'REMEMBER'.  
I didn't know who was being told, and I didn't care. Harry was going to be sent away, he'd been expelled from Hogwarts, and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were adopting me. Nothing could be weirder, and sadder.  
I buried my head in my pillow and cried, good and long, until I fell asleep.  
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia left with Dudley while I was asleep. I woke up to the sound of someone climbing up the stairs. I got off my bed and walked to the door. When I opened it, I just about fainted.  
There were at least five people standing at the top of the stairs. And all of them held wands.  
"Who are you?" I asked. "And what are you doing in our house?"  
A girl with purple hair came forward. "Karma, right?" she asked. I nodded. "I'm Nymphodora Tonks, though you can just call me Tonks. Karma, we know what's happening, and if you want it at least delayed, then you have to come with us."  
"How- how do you know?" I asked. I'd only just found out. Tonks smiled.  
"We have our ways," she answered. She looked oddly familiar, like I'd seen her somewhere before... I gasped.  
"You're the attendant from the dress shop!" I exclaimed. "You've been watching us!" Tonks nodded.  
"Smart one we got here," she told the others. "Come on, I'll help you pack."  
I led her into the room and took out my trunk. It had all of Harry's old book in it. "I've read all of these," I told her as I threw them on my bed. "At least twenty times."  
"I guess you'll be ready for school then," Tonks said. I nodded.  
"More than ready. When Harry took me to see the big Quddich match last year, Herminoe tested me on my knowledge of the books from years one through three and I got every question right. Not meaning to boast," I said.  
Tonks laughed. "That's alright. It's okay to let people know you're smart." She was looking through my closet. "Are all the cloths in here dresses?" she asked.  
"Nope," I said. "Just the new ones. I have the old cloths Harry's grown out of and I've been having to wear in there." My trunk was now completely empty. I walked over to the closet and took out all of the pants and stuffed them in the trunk.  
"Taking any of these?" Tonks asked, indicating to the dresses.  
"Only three," I told her. "I wouldn't take any, but they were made just for me and there's a couple of good ones there." I took out a blue and silver one and a green one. "Those two and the one I'm wearing." I took my tennis shoes from the closet and a few of my new shirts and put them in the trunk. I closed and latched it after stuffing my stuffed bear in it. I turned to Tonks. "All done."  
She waved her wand and the trunk shrunk and she put it in her pocket. "Then it's time to go."  
We met the others outside. Everyone had a broom except me, so I climbed on the back of Harry's.  
"Whatever you do, don't break rank," Mad-Eye told everyone. "Even if one of us is killed."  
"And here we go!" cried Tonks. And we flew off into the night.  
I had fun riding on the back of Harry's broom, but the ride was over too soon. We all landed if front of two apartment buildings. Suddenly, a third started growing in between them.  
"Karma, Harry," Tonks said. "Welcome to Number 12 Grimwald Place."


	3. Chapter 2: Number 12, Grimwald Place

Okay, so I'll save you the torture of what happened when I first came in. All mushy and whatnot. I will tell what was really cool when I first came though, I got this really cool charm bracelet from Sirius. He is awesome.  
So, we speed forward a little bit, a couple weeks into our stay. I was being the annoying little sister I am and bugging Harry. But it _was_ about something important.  
"Harry, I want a broom," I said.  
"No," Harry told me. Fred and George were leaning against a counter in the kitchen watching us.  
"Please Harry?" I begged. "Pretty pretty please?"  
"Karma, you're too young," Harry said.  
"I'll be eleven in September," I stated, folding my arms. "You got your first broom when you turned eleven."  
"That's different," Harry told me. I blew a stray piece of hair out of my face.  
"How is it different?" I asked.  
"Because I needed a broom to be on the Quiddich team."  
"What if Professor McGonagall wants me to be on the Quiddich team too?" I asked.  
"I'd tell her you're not allowed," Harry responded. "Besides, first years aren't allowed brooms anyway."  
I sighed. "You were just a special case, huh?"  
"Yes," Harry said.  
"I want a pet unicorn then," I said.  
"A unicorn? Seriously?" Harry asked.  
"Yes!" I exclaimed.  
"I'm not getting you a unicorn," Harry told me.  
"Please Harry!" I begged.  
"No," Harry said.  
"It's either the broom-" Fred said.  
"Or the unicorn," finished George.  
"Personally, I think you should let her get the broom," Fred told Harry.  
"It would take to you better," George supplied.  
"You two really AREN'T helping," Harry told them.  
"Harry," I said. "It's just a broom. Why can't I get one?"  
"Because you don't know how to ride one yet, and broom riding is dangerous."  
"You do it all the time!" I exclaimed.  
"I've also been riding for years, I've been taught," Harry said.  
"Fine," I said, turning around. "I'll go ask Sirius for one. He'll let me get a broom." Harry lunged to try and grab me, but I ran out of his reach.  
I found Sirius in one of the room we where cleaning out of old, dark magic junk.  
"Sirius, can I get a broomstick?" Harry came up behind me and I could tell he was silently telling our godfather to say no.  
Sirius stood up and whipped himself off. "I don't see why not, Karma," he said. Harry groaned. "You can get a broom." I squealed. "Next year." It was my turn to groan.  
"Thank you very much," I said sarcastically. I left the room and headed down to the kitchen again. I heard Harry and Sirius chuckle as I walked away.  
Kreacher, Sirius's house elf, was on the stairs, mumbling to himself and giving me dirty looks as I came into view.  
I made a dash for the room Hermione and Ginny shared. I ran into the room and slammed the door.  
"What's got your wand in a knot?" Ginny asked. She was on her bed reading and Hermione finishing a letter.  
My breathing was rapid. "K-K-K-Kreacher," I managed to get out. They knew I was terrified of him since I woke up in the middle of the night with him standing over me.  
Gave everyone a right fright when I screamed bloody murder.  
Stupid elf.  
Hermione patted her bed for me to sit down. I walked over to the bed and sat.  
"So, excited for school?" she asked. I nodded.  
"You bet!" I exclaimed. "From all the adventures Harry's written to me about the past few years, I can't wait to see what this year will be like!"  
Ginny chuckled. "You do realize that they have died almost every year?" She asked. I nodded.  
"But you guys came out okay every year," I said. "With your friendship stronger to boot."  
The door opened and Tonks walked in. "Girls, it's time to go to Diagon Ally."  
I jumped up. "I get to get my wand!" I exclaimed. "Yes yes yes yes yes!"  
"I think she's excited," Ginny whispered to Hermione. Hermione nodded.  
"I believe so," Hermione whispered back.  
"You girls ready?" Tonks asked. We all nodded. "Then let's go."  
We all grabbed our jackets and we were on our way.  
Tonks grabbed mine and Ginny's hands and I grabbed Hermione's. "How are we getting there?" I asked.  
"We are going by apperation," Tonks answered. I had absolutely no idea what that was, but I soon found out when suddenly we were standing on the street of Diagon Ally and not in front of the house.  
I dropped Tonks' and Hermione's hands and ran to the nearest trash can. Then out came my lunch. I'll spare the details for those weak of stomach.  
"You okay?" Ginny asked, walking over. I nodded weakly.  
"Let's just find another way back, shall we?" I suggested.  
"Probably a good idea," Tonks said. "So, what do we need to get first?"  
"There's a ton of new books we need," Ginny said.  
"The boys and I need new robes," said Hermione.  
"Can we get my wand?" I asked. "I don't need any new school books, I've got Harry's and they're the same. Except for the defense against the dark arts book. Though, robes may need to be in order. I'm not using Harry's old ones." I smiled as did the others.  
"From the sounds of it," Tonks said. "Our first stop is Gringotts."  
I was truly imbarassed when we went to Hermione's and Ginny's vaults. Both had so very little in it, and Hermione still had to rely on the school's fund for muggle borns to get by.  
We decided to have a little fun before getting my wand, which I was perfectly okay with.  
I skipped over to a vendor on the side of the street. There were so many different knick nacks he was selling.  
"Are all these things magical?" I asked.  
"But of course, little miss," he said smiling. "This is the place for magic. Take a look around and tell me if there's anything you'll be lookin' to buy."  
I nodded and looked around at all the neat stuff. A shelf of things caught my eye. I walked over to it. On it were boxes of lockets with keys hanging on the chain. There were also fingerless gloves in all shapes, sizes, and styles.  
Along with many other wonders, these were what caught my eyes.  
"I see you have a good eye for magical objects," the man said. "These are some of my best work."  
"What do the necklaces do?" I asked.  
"Lead you to your true love," he explained. "A lovely lady just puts the locket on while holding the key and the key will disappear, only to be found by their one true lover. All they need do before is inscribe something on the back of the locket."  
I smiled. "Neat," I tools him. I scanned the gloves, looking for the two pairs I had liked. "What do these do?"  
"These ones," he said, taking the black pair from me, "help those with luosey balance to not knock stuff over." He took the other pair. They were stripped black, tan, and white except for the fingers which were completely black. There was a part you could unbutton on it to make mittens, on this was the face of a puppy.  
"Those are adorable," I told him.  
The man laughed. "Very adorable," he told me. "And they have two powers. One: they'll keep your whole body warm when you make them into mittens. Two: they'll help you find something you lost."  
I considered the things. I took the gloves back and grabbed two of the lockets. One with an 'H' on it, the other with a 'G'. I turned to the man. "I'll take these."  
"That'll be ten galleons," he said. I paid the money and ran off.  
I found the others and gave each of them something. The black gloves went to Tonks, and a locket went to each Hermione and Ginny. I kept the puppy gloves to myself. I told each of the what the gifts did.  
"These are beautiful," Hermione said. "Thank you, Karma. I'll have to think of something to inscribe on mine."  
"I already know," Ginny said. "You're not just my life, you're my everything."  
"Perfect," Tonks said. "So, Ollivander's?" The other girls and me looked at each other. We nodded.  
"Ollivander's!" I exclaimed. We walked to the shop which was just down the street.  
"We'll wait out here," Hermione told me. I nodded and opened the door. There was a small tinkling sound of a bell as I came in.  
"Wow," I said, marveling at the sight of all the wands. There MUST have been thousands.  
The man I presumed to be Mr. Ollivander was talking to a boy in a green and grey sweater. I could only see the back of him, so that's all I could tell. His hair was really dark black, like Harry's.  
The boy turned and I saw his face. Blue eyes, and a miscivise smile. Something seemed oddly familiar about him. He ran out of the shop before I could figure it out.  
"Miss Karma," Mr. Ollivander rasped. "I wondered when I would see you."  
"Well, here I am," I said, putting my hands behind my back.  
Mr. Ollivander took a box from one of the shelves and handed me the wand in side. "Ash wood, firm, core of dragon heartstring, thirteen and four fifth inches."  
"Geez," I muttered. "Wand long enough?" I gave it a flick. The window behind me broke. I cringed and turned. "Sorry," I said. I put the wand on Mr. Ollivander's desk.  
He hand me another wand. Then another, and another. You know, I think I went through at least twenty wands.  
"You're a tricky one," Mr. Ollivander told me.  
"Uh, thank you?" I said, putting my latest wand back. I wasn't sure if it was a complement or not.  
"Try this one," he said, handing me another wand. "Made of willow, swishy, ten and two fourth inches-"  
"Isn't that the same as one half?" I asked.  
"Two very different things when it comes to wands," he replied. "Willow. Swishy. Ten and two fourth inches. Core of, and this is very rare, unicorn tears."  
That wand was MINE. Not because I wanted it, but because whenever there's something rare or strange, it usually involves me and/or my brother.  
I waved the wand. A single box flew off a near by shelf and landed on the desk. It grew tint arms and legs and took the wand out of it. I giggled as it started tap dancing. It finished with small purple fire works also bursting from my wand.  
Mr. Ollivander clapped. "Very good, and I do believed we've found your wand." I happily paid and left the store.  
"I got my wand!" I exclaimed as I came out. I told them all what happened and we were all laughing by the time I finished. "So," I finally asked. "How are we getting back?"  
"The knight bus," Tonks replied. She gave a loud whistle. "You may not get sick, but the rest of us probably will." Then the knight bus arrived. "But we've got just one more stop."  
"Where?" I asked.  
"To get you some regular cloths!" Tonks said as we climbed on. Shopping with Tonks was sooooo much more fun than shopping with my aunt. She got me jeans and tennis shoes, and it was so much better feeling on me than those other crappy stuff Aunt Petunia made me wear. When we got back to Grimwald Place, I took my stuff up to my room then wandered back out.  
Mr. Weasley stopped me. "Ah, Karma, do me a favor and take this bag to the fourth door on the left?"  
I nodded. "Sure," I told him, picking up the bag.  
"But whatever you do, don't open the desk," Mr. Weasley said. "We have to have someone older take care of that Boggart." I rolled my eyes and went to the room. All the rooms were getting cleaned out of the bad magic, as I said before. But, here's what really annoyed me, I wasn't allowed to help.  
Some of the excuses were 'you're too young, Karma.' Or 'you don't even have a wand.' And here's the best one yet, 'you can't do magic yet.' Geez, what do they think I did while Harry was at school? Play tea party and dress up with Aunt Petunia and Dudley? No, I was reading and learning. I know almost as much magic as Harry, and just as much as Ginny.  
So, what else would I do besides disobey what a grown-up told me to prove myself?  
I opened the door and flipped the light on. I dropped the bag and noticed the desk on the opposite side of the room. I closed the door and took my wand out. I racked my brain for the spell that unlocked something.  
"Alohomora!" I said, pointing my wand at the desk. The top opened and dust flew everywhere. I had to cover my eyes to keep from being blinded. When the dust settled and I was able to look up again, I saw a mirror image of myself.  
"Hello Karma," it said in my voice.  
I had to remember the spell for getting rid of these things. I just had it a minute ago!  
The boggart took on a pouting face. "Oh, poor, poor Karma. Comes to try and prove herself, but can't remember how to do it."  
"Shut up!" I snapped, still thinking.  
"Why?" the boggart asked, now circling me. "Because you can't bear to hear the truth?"  
"That's not the reason," I said.  
"But I think that's a lie," it said. "Little bitty Karma. Too young to do anything great. Looked over because you're in your brother's shadow. Unloved, unwanted. Really Karma, I don't even know why you're here."  
"That's not true!" I shouted. "The Weasleys love me like family, and so does Sirius!" The boggart tutted.  
"You're just too blind sighted to see the truth, nobody wants you here." It scoffed. "I mean, come on, even the Dursleys aren't adopting you because they CARE for you. You just fit the role for the perfect family they always wanted."  
I rolled my eyes and smirked. "You really are the dumbest boggart ever," I said. It turned to me.  
"What?"  
"I mean, come on. That's not my greatest fear," I said. "I'm not even scared." I felt my face turn red. "All I am right now it angry." I steadied my wand and looked strait at the boggart. "Riddikulus!" I shouted. The boggart turned into the dancing box from Ollivander's. Mr. Weasley rushed into the room.  
He first noticed the dancing box, then the open desk. "Karma!" he exclaimed. Others came to the open doorway. "I told you not to open the desk." He looked confused as he looked from me to the box. "You're boggart is a dancing box?" Then he finally caught on to the fact I was laughing uncontrollably.  
"N-n-n-nope!" I exclaimed, trying to calm down. "That's not my boggart, and that's got to be the stupidest boggart around! It didn't change into my greatest fear." I immediately sobered. I sat on the ground and pulled my knees to my chest. "It changed into ME." I looked down. "It turned into me and started saying things that I'd never thought of before..."  
"But now you can't stop?" Mr. Weasley asked, kneeling before me. I nodded. "This is why I told you not to open the desk. To let someone older take care of it."  
I chuckled with no hummer in my voice. "Mr. Weasley, no Potter what he's been told." I gave an involuntary yawn.  
"Karma, that was some big magic for an eleven year old who's never been to Hogwarts. Get some sleep," Mr. Weasly said. I shook my head.  
"I'm perfectly fine," I said, yawning once again. I rolled my eyes and got up. I dusted myself off. "Fine, I'll go to bed." I gave another yawn. "See you guys in about, oh, five hours or so."  
"Is she kidding?" Ginny asked Harry. Harry shook his head.  
"Nope, once she gets really tired," Harry said. "She could literally be asleep for days if someone doesn't wake her. It almost happened once when she was three."  
I walked past the crowd and to my room. I fell on my bed and instantly I was in dreamland.


	4. Chapter 3: The Shadow

I'd like to say I had purely plesent dreams, but then I'd be lying. I'd be telling the understatement of the century.  
I'll just tell you, how bout that?

I was five again, Harry was nine. We were running, from Dudley's gang. This was a memory I knew.  
"Harry, come on!" I shouted as I reached a ladder that went up the side of the school. I started climbing.  
"Karma, no," Harry said. I turned back to my brother.  
"Don't be such a scardy cat, Harry," I told him. I climbed a few rungs higher. "Besides," I said, not turning to look at Harry. "It's up here or Dudley."  
"I'm not a scardy cat," Harry grumbled, climbing after me. I giggled.  
I sighed when I reached the top. It was so... breathtaking. I'd never seen a view like this before. I stood in the middle of the roof with my arms in the air above my head.  
I started spinning slowly, feeling the wind from being so high up. I stopped when I heard Harry panting from the climb.  
"Hello Harry," I said. "Nice of you to finally join me."  
"Though... you... pick... really good... hiding spots..." Harry panted. "Maybe... you... could... find one... that didn't... kill me... on the way... up."  
"Now, where's the fun in that?" I asked. "Besides, we got away from Dudley, didn't we?"  
"Guess so," Harry said nodding. "So, what are we going to do till we can get down?" I smiled and spread my arms.  
"I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to fly." I tilted my head back and started to spin. Faster and faster. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see myself getting closer to the edge.  
I tried to stop, but I couldn't. I knew I would fall if I got any closer. And sure enough, the edge came and I tripped. I could hear Harry call my name as I grabbed the edge of the building.  
"Help!" I cried. "Harry, help!" I tried to climb up the side, but it was no use. "Harry! Harry help!" I heard footsteps above me and looked up. But it wasn't Harry standing above me. It was, well, it was me. To keep things from getting confusing, I'll call her 'Me.'  
Me knelt down do she could look me in the eyes. "Ah, Karma. Quiet the little predicament you've got yourself in, isn't it?"  
My eyes widened as I realized who I was actually talking to. "You, the Bogart." Me smiled cruelly.  
"Quite smart you are Karma," Me said.  
"I thought they destroyed you," I spat. My arms were getting sore from dangling.  
"Well, you see, they did," Me said to me. How odd does THAT sound? "But I latched myself to you because I just HAD to show you that I was right."  
"You can't," I said.  
"Why not?" Me asked, uninterested.  
"Because you're wrong!" I shouted.  
"Am I?" Me asked. She gestured to down below. I turned my head. Harry and Dudley were standing only a little ways away.  
"Good one, Dudley," Harry said. "Chasing Karma up there."  
"It was YOU who knew that she'd go up the latter," Dudley replied.  
"Hey, Dudley, won't someone get worried about her?" one of Dudley's friends asked.  
"You kidding?" Harry asked. "Nobody cares about Karma. No one will even notice she's gone." I shook and felt like crying.  
Then I remembered. I glared at Me. "This is all fake. Its just a dream," I said.  
Me's face became a twisted smirk. "Then why haven't you let go?" To prove I was right, I let go. Me stood and watched me fall. It felt like slow motion.  
Though she just watched, her face was a look of shock. Just before I hit the ground, I woke up.  
I sat strait up in bed. Sweat was coming down my face, and tears were in my eyes. I pulled my knees my chest and cried my heart out. I hadn't truly been sure it was a dream, and purposely falling to your death is a scary thing.  
"I hate Bogarts," I said.  
A few moments later, Hermione came into the room. "You're awake!" she exclaimed. She turned back around. "Harry! She's awake!"  
Hermione stood aside as Harry ran into the room. He ran to my side and hugged me.  
"Karma! Are you okay?" Harry asked.  
"Harry, I'm FINE," I told him, pushing him away a little.  
"Didn't bloody sound like it," Ron said from the doorway. "You were screaming bloody murder up here." Hermione whacked his arm. "What? She was."  
I looked helplessly at Harry. I wasn't really, was I? Harry looked back at me. "You've been asleep for hours, Karma."  
Hermione couldn't contain herself anymore. "The whole time you were calling for Harry, or screaming that something wasn't true. Nobody could wake you up," she explained.  
I slowly got myself off the bed. The Bogart was affecting me that bad? Something was seriously wrong with this picture.  
"Come on," Harry said, putting his arm over my shoulders. "You missed dinner."  
Well, it looks like it was time to face the music. AKA, time for the grown ups yo interrogate me. Yay.

It was about a week later that I noticed it. Now, I know I was the only one who saw it because one: no one else brought it up, and two: I would have been that last to because I'm not terribly perspective, or whatever that word is.  
Okay, so you're probably wondering by now WHAT I'm seeing. I have a second shadow. Now okay, in some lights, your shadow may double up or you might get two, but my second shadow doesn't do what I do.  
It moves when I do, and it's connected to my feet, but my arm motions or other things I do, it doesn't.  
I tried telling Harry and the others about it, but they didn't believe me. Thanks guys, you give me sooooo much confidence.  
There is a bright side, though. Mad-Eye noticed it, and the others believed him. So, at least now they're trying to figure out what caused my other shadow, and exactly what it really is.  
But I have a feeling I already do. It's the Bogart. At least it's shadow. And why I haven't told anyone about it, I have absolutely noooo idea.  
But I do know that I have to get rid of this thing myself. No matter what it takes.


	5. Chapter 4: The Hogwarts Express

Do you ever have that feeling that you're being followed? Or maybe you're being watched? I have it ALL the time now. It's sooo bloody annoying. Ron says I'm just being paranoid.  
No one knows about this place except the Order. I'm not really allowed to leave. And of course Sirius and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are watching me. They get worried. And they don't really try to hide it either. So maybe I AM being paranoid. Or maybe it's Shadow. I've result to calling the boggart Shadow because it was awkward calling it Me. See? It sounds so weird. Anyway, getting back on topic.  
Shadow resulted in making my nights terrible by feeding me memories from my childhood, even just last year, but changing them. Every time I'd been able to get out of the dream because I knew it wasn't real, but it was getting harder. She made them look soo real.  
And even on nights that Shadow didn't invade my sleep, I still got nightmares. Like, well, let me just show you...

Fred and George skipped around Ron.  
"He's more than just a Seeker," Ron said. "He's an artist."  
"Victor I love you," the twins sang. "Victor I do! You know my heart lies only with you!" I smiled and clapped.  
"I think you're in love, Ron," Ginny said.  
"Shove off," Ron grumbled.  
Music played so loud outside, we could hear it. "Sounds like the Irish are enjoying their win," Fred said. Mr. Weasly stormed into the tent.  
"That's not the Irish," he said. He dragged us out of the tent and we had to split up. Fred and George were put in charge of Ginny, while Harry, Ron, and Herminoe were in charge of me.  
I gripped Herminoe's hand and refused to let go. We ran through the crowd until I realized Harry wasn't with us anymore.  
"Ron! Herminoe!" I shouted. "Harry's gone!" They refused to go back for him, saying that he'd want them to protect me. I refused to leave without my brother. I pulled my hand away from Herminoe and ran back. "Harry!" I called, trying to push through people. "Harry!"  
I reached the end of the crowd and saw why we were running. People in black, hooded robes were coming toward us. I backed up a few steps. I wanted to run, run back to Ron and Herminoe, but I swallowed my fear. I had to find Harry.  
I ran forward, dodging the hooded ones by hiding behind burned tents, random pillars, and anything else I came across. But I was getting desperate, I couldn't find Harry. And getting desperate made me careless. I barely waited for people to pass before running to the next hiding place I saw. A few times, I didn't wait or ran in front of them before I thought they could see me.  
This is where I made my mistake. A group of four or five hooded ones were coming near me, but I felt it was too dim where I was for them to see me, so I ran across the bit of burned and yellowed grass.  
"Hey! Look!" shouted one of them. I slightly turned my head so I saw he was pointing at me. "Stop!" he commanded.  
Now why in the world would I oblige? I kept running, not daring to stop nor look around. Pounding foot steps followed me as I twisted and turned through the maze of burned tents. Fires burned more often and brighter here. I became cornered by them near some burning tents. I noticed that others had joined them.  
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered. I lunged for an open spot in between two of the hooded ones. They lunged for me. They bought my bluff. I ran toward another, bigger spot that had opened up. And I almost made it.  
ALMOST.  
I didn't quite make it. One grabbed me.  
"Whatta we do with her?" another asked. His voice sounded drunk and his black robes were now brown because of the dirt storm that had been stirred up. His hood had fallen off as had apparently his mask, since one was at his feet. His eyes and hair was turned coppery in the firelight. He was of average height and he had a scar across his face.  
"We'll have to silence her, she's seen you, idiot," said the one holding me. Silence... Oh! Yeah, um. Uh oh. I started trying to pull out of his grip. When that didn't work, I tried elbowing him. Missed every time. How does that work? "Would you stop struggling?" the guy asked, sounding extremely board.  
I stopped for a moment and turned my head. "I'm ten, not naive," I told him.  
"Get down!" a voice shouted. I saw a shadow a few feet away lift a wand. Crystal sparks flew toward me. I ducked as much as I could. The crystal sparks hit the guy holding me and he toppled, letting go of me in the process.  
A boy jumped out of the shadows and helped me off the ground.  
"Come on," he shouted. He held my hand as we continued running away. Every so often, he'd create a portal with the wand in his hand and we'd go into it, appearing in a different place.  
"Wait," I said, breathless after running for about ten minutes. "Can you tell me who you are?" The boy stopped and looked at me. His brown eyes were hard and determined, his black hair stuck to his face because of the heat. His green sweatshirt glowed against the fire light.  
"A friend," he said. And that was all he said before he teleported me to another place. I was still looking at him as I diapered. The flaming background was replaced by a black and burned landscape.  
"Karma!" someone shouted. I spun around. Ron and Herminoe were running toward me.  
"Karma, where have you been?" Herminoe asked, giving me a tight hug.  
I still looked into the distance, trying to see him. "Where'd he go?" I asked.  
"Where'd who go?" Ron asked.  
"The boy..." But he wasn't there. He had sent me off alone, knowing I would be in good hands.  
"Karma, Karma, Karma, Karma, Karma," I heard.

I bolted awake to someone shaking me and saying my name.  
"Karma, it's time to leave for the station," Herminoe said. I sat up and looked strait into her eyes.  
"It was him," I said. "It was the boy at the wand shop."

Before we left, Sirius had told me that the bracelet had been given to him for him to give her first daughter when she went to her first year at Hogwarts. I had found a bigger love for the bracelet. It was the only thing I had of Mom.  
I walked the leanth of the train, trying to find an empty seat. Just like every other first year. I finally found one and lugged my suitcase onto the seat opposite me to tell everyone that it was plainly and clearly taken. By me. I fell onto my seat and gave a sigh.  
"Are you sure you don't want to sit with us?" Harry asked. I rolled my eyes.  
"No thank you," I said. I patted the seat and folded my arms. "I'm perfectly fine right here." Also, why would I want to sit with, not just one, but two prefects? Herminoe's always been a goody-good, but Ron was taking his job seriously, and I couldn't handle THREE people being overly strict. And Harry was going trough mood swings like none other.  
Are siancetists REALLY sure only girls PMS?  
Ginny had also offered for me to sit with her and her friends, but I declined that offer too. I wanted to be independent.  
I shooed Harry out of the compartment and waved my hands for him to go. "I'll be fine Harry," I told him. I smirked. "Besides, I'd like to be able to make a few friends before me being a Potter ruins my reputation." I shut the door in Harry's face and lowered the blinds, cutting myself off from everyone.  
I settled into my seat an only got up to wave as I saw Sirius at the end of the tracks. He turned back into a dog as I watched.  
After a while, I got board and took out a magazine that was in a rack under the seat. I flipped through that for a while.  
"Let's see," I said. "Hmm, replicas of the founder's objects. That sounds interesting." I circled the ad to buy the replicas. "The Sword of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw's Diadem, Hufflepuff Cup, and The Sytherin Locket. I wonder if Harry would let me get them?" I looked at the ad again. "Probably not." I looked at the price, ten galleons for all four. I took my money out of my pocket. Fifteen galleons, three sickles, and twenty knuts. "Well, who cares? He let me keep the money from the safe, and the school never said anything about not getting founder object replicas." I tore out the order form for the objects and filled it out. Then I found a set of twenty glass vials for potions or ingredients that each looked different for three galleons. I filled that out as well and put the order forms and money into an envelope then went to find the train owlrey.  
I found it at the very end of the train. I picked an owl and sent it off. When I went back to my compartment, my suitcase was sitting in the hall. I rushed to it to make sure that everything was still there. I didn't trust nobody, there were SLYTHERINS on this train. I rummaged through my stuff.  
"No," I said. "No, no no nononononono. It has to be here!" My bracelet was gone. I had forgotten to put it on this morning because I was so busy so I just stuffed it in my trunk, planning to put it on later. But it WASN'T THERE. It was gone. I got up and walked to the door and opened it. In the compartment were four kids, all of them wearing green ties. And one wore my bracelet. Oh, now I was angry. "What do you think you're doing?" I demanded.  
"Hey, kid, you left the compartment, it's ours now," one of the boys said. I rolled my eyes and put my hands on my hips.  
"I don't care about the compartment," I seethed. I glared at the girl who stole my bracelet. "I care that you stole me bracelet."  
The girl gave me an evil grin and held up the bracelet. "Oh, this thing?" she asked. "Finders keepers, losers weepers, loser," she said.  
"Give me my bracelet, now!" I screamed. I felt a tingle go through the top of my head all the way to my toes. They did not understand how important that bracelet was to me. Another pushed me out of the room.  
"Get lost, kid." Then the door was slammed in my face. I felt like crying and curling up into a ball. This just couldn't be happening.  
I took my trunk and started looking for a compartment that had enough room for me. I found one with a bunch of seventh years with yellow ties. I left my trunk on the ground and sat as far as I could away. I brought my knees to my chest as I felt a single tear let lose.  
Most of the seventh years ignored me and continued on laughing with their friends, but one continued looking at me. "Hey, kid," he said, bumping my arm. "What's your name?"  
"K-K-Karma," I choked out. I buried my face in my knees.  
"My name's Danual, but my friends call me Danny," he told me. "What's wrong?"  
"I left my compartment for ten minutes and some Slytherins took it, throwing my trunk out," I said.  
"Slytherins will do that," Danny said. "It's in their nature to pick on those smaller than them. And you found us."  
I shook my head. "That's not what's bothering me. One of them, they took something very special to me. A bracelet that was left to me by my mother. She died years ago," I whispered.  
Danny motioned for another to come over. I looked up and noticed that everyone had gotten quiet and was looking at me. A girl came and sat by Danny.  
"Karma, this is my girlfriend Camille," he said. "Me and the guys will be right back, we have some business to attend to." Danny and everyone but Camille left the compartment.  
Camille scooted closer. "Hi, Karma," she said. "So, are you excited for your first year?"  
I shrugged. I knew she was just trying to distract me. "I guess so."  
"Any idea what house you want to be in?"  
"Gryffindor," I said without hesitation. "My brother's in it, so I really want to be in that house."  
"Might I know you brother?" Camille asked.  
I snorted. "Probably. Everybody does. My brother's Harry Potter."  
I expected Camille to kick me out of the compartment right then and there, but she didn't. She just smiled. "Well then, I'd just like to inform you that I believe your brother wholeheartedly. The ministry's version of things hasn't matched up, and the theories just keep getting wilder. Everyone that was in this compartment believes Harry about Voldamort-" I gasped. There was only two people I knew who dared to say his name: me and Harry. Harry was foolhardy and I just didn't know any better. Camille rolled her eyes. "Yes, I say his name out loud. I may be a Hufflepuff, but I'm no scardy cat."  
I smiled. "That's good," I told her.  
Camille wiggled her eyebrows. I laughed. "And, you know, getting into Hufflepuff wouldn't be so bad either," she said.  
"Why?" I asked.  
"I'll give you three good reasons," Camille said. "One, me. Two, we are just a corner away from the kitchens. a midnight snack whenever we want!" She leaned forward. "Number three is a secret," she whispered. "Hufflepuff has all the traits of the other houses, but stronger." She leaned back and talked in her normal voice. "We just don't show it off like the others."  
"Wow," I said. I was SERIOUSLY rethinking which house I wanted to go into. Danny and the rest came back into the compartment, Danny sporting a small cut on his lip.  
"Danny!" Camille cried. "What happened?"  
"We ran into a bit of trouble," he said. He knelt before me and held out a closed fist. Then he opened it. In it was my bracelet!  
"You got it! You got it back!" I cried. I took the bracelet from his hand and tackled him in a hug. "Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!" Danny hugged me back, and so did Camille.  
"What are Hufflepuffs for?" he asked when I took my seat again.  
"Friends," I told him. Hufflepuff really ARE friends. I didn't care if these two were seventh years, so were Fred and George. They could be my friends.  
Camille leaned down and whispered into my ear. "How 'bout I show you how to get into the kitchens tomorrow?" she asked.  
I nodded. "That would be great," I told her.  
I stayed in the compartment with Danny and Camille for the rest of the ride. Danny offered to find me another compartment if I wanted to be by myself for the rest of the ride, but I stayed so me and Camille could talk more. Danny looked a little put out that his girlfriend talked to me more than him.  
"Don't be so bummed out, Danny," Camille said, kissing Danny. "I still love you. I'm just having a little girl time right now."  
"Alright," Danny said.  
He gave her a cheesy grin. I smiled. Hufflepuffs were funny.  
But all too soon the ride was over. I gave Camille a hug as I got off the train. "Good luck," she told me with a smile. "I hope you get in the house you want." Then she hopped into a carriage driven by some odd looking winged horses and I was led to the other first years by the docks.  
I hoped to see Hagrid, but instead, there was a woman. "Four to a boat, please," she called. I hurried to a boat. I was the second in mine, there was already a boy in it. I hurriedly sat down near the front so I could see the castle sooner.  
I shot a smile at the boy, and I caught a look of him. It was the same boy! I turned all the way around. This time, he wore the required robes instead of his green sweatshirt. But other than that, he looked exactly as I remembered him.  
"I remember you!" I exclaimed. "You're that boy from the wand shop!"  
"And you're that girl in the papers," he said.  
"What?" I asked. I was in the papers? Or someone who looked like me was?  
Our boat started moving and we were the only ones in it. "Yeah. My mom gets the paper and your picture is always on the front cover, along with some things about about Harry Potter and Dumbledore." Great. My reputation was already ruined because everyone knew I Harry's little sis. Why did they have to put it on the paper?  
"What's your name?" we asked at the same time.  
"I would think you would know if you read the paper," I accused.  
"I never said I READ it," he told me. "I said my mom gets it and I see the front cover."  
"Oh," I said. "My name's Karma. Now tell me yours."  
"Alvin," he said.  
"Nice name," I told Alvin.  
"Thanks, you too," he said.  
I was quiet for a moment. "I remember, you know," I said, looking into my hands. I fiddled with one of the angels on my bracelet. "I remember how you saved me last year. You never let me thank you."  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Alvin said.  
I looked up and into his eyes. "Alvin, I said it then, I'll say it now. I was ten, not blind. I remember you. You want to not take credit for doing something heroic, it's not my business. But I still say thank you. I wouldn't be here if you didn't save me."  
"Karma, shh!" he exclaimed quietly. Then he whispered. "I'm not taking credit because I wasn't supposed to help you. I could get in serious trouble if anyone else knew, and I could put you in danger."  
"W-" My question was cut short as the boat bumped against the dock at the school.  
I turned to see the older woman holding out her hand to help me up. I took it and got out of the boat. She then helped Alvin. I didn't get another chance to ask Alvin anything as we walked into the castle.


	6. Chapter 5: Sworn and Sorted to be Enimes

The castle, in a word, brilliant. In another, huge.  
I was in love.  
I'd never really been anywhere so big! Made of stone, everything embedded with magic. I couldn't imagine where I would rather be. Alvin walked beside me, curing some of the butterflies in my stomach. I was super nerves. What if I was sorted into a bad house? Or what if I was judged because I was Harry's little sister?  
And what would this year have in store?  
Something happened every year. And, I didn't want something bad to happen like last year. Or, if the trend continued, something worse.  
"Wait here while I go and prepare for you," the professor told us. "Straiten yourselves up while you wait."  
I pulled on my hair. "What are you doing?" Alvin asked.  
"Nerves habit," I told him, still facing the door.  
A boy with black hair and cold blue eyes walked over. His eyes were NOTHING like Alvin's. "So, did you hear that another Potter's here?" he asked me and Alvin.  
Alvin shrugged, uninterested. "No. I haven't had the pleasure of hearing that rumor, Damien," he said. What? I told him who I was.  
"Of course," I said to the boy. "I AM that Potter."  
His eyes turned even colder. Then he turned to the rest of the students. "Hey look everyone!" he shouted. "The liar Potter has a little sister!" Everyone laughed and I felt my cheeks burn.  
"Bet you're a liar too, Potter!" someone called.  
There was a tingle go through my body, and I felt like crying. Other were also starting to make taunts. "Shut up!" I yelled, a tear slipping down my cheek. "Shut up! I'm not a liar! I'm not my brother!"  
Taunts were still made, and I was full out sobbing. Alvin was holding me, trying to get me to stop crying. I was pulled away from him and was pushed between students.  
The doors opened as I was pushed to the floor, tears still streaming down my face. I looked up to see Professor MaGonagal. She caught sight of me and glared at the other students.  
"What is the meaning of this?" she seethed. "What is going on?" No one said anything. I was still crying on the floor, but now I had curled myself into a ball. Alvin came up to her and whispered something.  
She nodded and summoned Professor Flitwick to finish the ceremony. Professor MaGonagal took Alvin and I to her office. I sat in silence near the back, only sniffling every now and again as Alvin explained what happened. She beckoned me forward and I sat by Alvin.  
"Karma," she said. "I'm going to have Alvin escort you to your classes, at least until this dies down. And it'll be only the classes he has with you. You'll have to find someone else to escort you to the rest, or hurry. The teachers WILL be watching to make sure this doesn't happen again."  
I had to stop myself from laughing. Kids will do what they want to do. And there's nothing the teachers could do to stop it. All they could do is patch me up when they were done.  
Professor Flitwick brought in the Sorting Hat and Professor MaGonagal sorted us. But the Hat didn't say our houses out loud. He only told them to Professor MaGonaagal.  
I was a Gryffindor, but I had no idea what Alvin was. Professor MaGonagal escorted me to the dormitories and offered to send one of the house elves up with dinner. I declined, deciding I just wanted to sleep. I mean, how much worse could things be?  
Of course, one should never ask this question.  
I walked with Harry to breakfast. He and Herminoe and Ron demanded why I hadn't been sorted with the others when they came into the common room the night before. After I finished the tale, they decided that one of them would be escorting me, even if Alvin already was, everywhere.  
Like I didn't need anymore embarrassment.  
At the table, the three watched me but I told them I wanted to be by myself. So I sat alone.  
I felt eyes on my back so I whipped around. I saw Alvin watching me as well. He sat at the Slytherin table, with that noticeably green tie. Several other Slytherins snickered and I turned back to my food. I picked at my waffles.  
I still wasn't really hungry.  
"You've got to eat something," a blonde girl said, coming and sitting across from me. "It's the first day, bound to be rough. You'll need your strength. Besides, you don't eat you'll become anorexic and not be able to preform magic very well."  
I bit into my waffle and she seemed satisfied. She smiled brightly and walked back to her original seat. I finished off my food and Professor MaGonagal handed me my schedule for the day. Marked by the classes was the ones Alvin had with me.  
The first one was, so I saw him follow me out of the great hall. I waited by one of the stone columns. "Professor MaGonagal wouldn't have made you escort me if she'd known that you'd be a Slytherin," I said.  
"She didn't make me," Alvin said. "I offered."  
"You wouldn't have if you'd know I was a Gryffindor, would you?" I asked as we walked to class.  
"Yes, I would have," Alvin replied.  
"Why?" I asked. "We're supposed to be rivals."  
"I like you," Alvin said. "You're nice, and I don't see you being a big push over when you get bushed to the limit."  
"Oh," was all I said. I really had nothing else to say. I didn't know what to.  
We arrived first to class and sat at opposite sides of the room. For the rest of the class, I sat alone. No one wanted to sit by me, and I was perfectly fine with that.  
When class let out, I knew I was being shadowed by Harry or one of the others. Alvin didn't have the next class with me, so he went his own way. Bloody Slytherins. They only care about their own. I didn't trust Alvin in any way, shape, or form.  
But still he stuck around and went about his duty of escorting me to the classes we shared. And to lunch. After lunch, I was able to dodge him though. I was able to eave every single one of my escorts behind.  
"This is soooo stupid," I muttered, holding my books to my chest. "I don't need a bloody escort."  
Suddenly, my books were taken out of my grasp. "Hey!" I shouted. I looked up to see the Slytherins from the train. But now, they looked meaner and uglier than ever.  
"Give me my books back!" I screamed at them. One of the boys held them above his head and they laughed as I tried to jumped up and grab them. "Give. Them. Back!" I jumped up and final time and reached for my book. The boy moved and I fell flat on my face.  
"Give it up, first year," one girl snided. I felt a kick to my gut. Then one to my back. I covered my head with my arms as they continued to kick me and punch me. My whole body tingled that strange way it did before when these kids picked on me.  
"How's it feel?" said another. "How's it feel to be at the very bottom? To have finally hit rock bottom and still keep falling?"  
"Hey!" shouted a vaguely familiar voice. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" I opened my eyes just a crack and saw the blonde haired girl who'd made me eat earlier. Her eyes were hard, demanding, challenging. "Give the girl back her books and let us leave, or by God, I'll make you regret it."  
I stood up carefully and my books were shoved into my arms. I scrambled away from them. "You won't so lucky next time, freak," one said as they left.  
"Thank you," I muttered to the girl, my eyes downcast. She held her hand out and smiled.  
"Silver, Silver Riley," she said. I looked up into her eyes. They'd made a drastic change into being kind and warm and friendly. "This is where you tell me your name and shake the hand," she whispered out the side of her mouth.  
"Oh! Right!" I exclaimed. I grabbed her hand and shook. "Karma. Karma Potter."  
"Nice to meet you Karma," Silver told me. "I just wanted to tell you that I've always believed you and your brother."  
I sigh of relief. "That's good," I said. "Cause he's not lying."  
Silver smiled. "I know that, my Pa knows that, but not everyone does. And I'm here to help make them believe." Silver put her arm around my shoulder. "Now, don't we have a class to get to?"  
So, having an escort might not be so bad, espeshily when it was a girl I like.  
Silver walked with me to most of my classes, but when Alvin came around and refused to leave me alone, she left.  
"He's a Slytherin, and it won't do my reputation any good to be seen with him," she told me once. Not like escorting me wouldn't damage it.  
It was a few weeks later when I saw proof of the fact. "You're a wimp," sneered a Slytherin, not one of the ones who loved to torment me, but another. Silver was anything but weak. "You couldn't do any magic to save your life."  
Silver was better at magic than me! How dare he? I whipped out my wand, not caring that I would probably get in trouble. I blast a shot at the Slytherin and he flew away. "You stay away from her," I demanded, coming to stand in front of Silver. I continued pointing my wand at him and he scurried off. I turned back around and helped Silver up. "You okay, Silver?" I asked. "Why didn't you just fight him off? Did he take your wand?" Silver didn't say anything. "Silver?" I asked.  
She wiped her hair out of her face and I saw confusion. "Who are you calling Silver?" she asked. "That's not my name."


	7. Chapter 6: Another One?

"I'm not Silver," the girl said. "My name's Emily. Emily James."  
"I'm sorry," I told her, helping her stand. "I thought you were my friend. You two look a lot alike. Except the tie."  
"Yeah, I'm a Hufflepuff," Emily said. "What's your name? No, wait! Don't tell me!" She held her hands to the sides of her head and turned in a circle. "You are... Karma Potter!" She exclaimed this as she faced me and opened her eyes wide.  
I gaped at her. "How'd you know?" I asked. Emily smiled.  
"Word gets around fast here," she told me. "And, you REALLY have nothing to be sorry for. You saved me. Those kids can be worse than Umbridge, on a good day."  
I sighed. "Yeah, and I have to head to her class right now," I grumbled. "With Slytherins."  
Emily cringed out of sympathy. "I'm sorry," she said. "That's got to suck." I nodded.  
"It does, because I have to sit by one," I told her.  
"Who?" she asked.  
"Alvin," I said.  
"Alvin Tenebair (*)?" Emily asked. I nodded.  
"That's the one."  
Emily groaned out of sympathy. "He's like, the dorkiest Slytherin out there," she said. "I overheard some Slytherins saying he isn't cut out to be one. That's kinda the reason for me getting beat up earlier."  
I thought about what she said. Alvin wasn't Slytherin material? Then why WAS he in Slytherin? Maybe he was just a really good actor.  
"You know, I think he likes you," Emily said, snapping me out of my thoughts.  
"What?" I asked.  
"Well," she began. "Alvin's always following you around, and you sit by him in class. I think he likes you."  
"I'm a Gryffindor," I said. "He's a Slytherin. It's technically not allowed for him to like me."  
"That doesn't mean he doesn't," Emily pointed out. "We should really get to class unless we want detention. I know Umbridge's detentions are the WORST." We began walking.  
"Do you really think he likes me?" I asked. Emily shrugged as she took a book out of her bag.  
"Possibly," she said. "But, I think you should give him a chance. At least at friendship. He doesn't seem like THAT bad of a guy. And I don't know what it is with people. There's NOTHING in the Slytherin characteristics that says they're evil."  
Really? I thought about that for a moment.  
Was Alvin really not evil? After all, he DID save my life last year...  
I pushed it away. We had to get to class.  
Just as soon as Emily slipped away, Silver took her place by my side. "Nice to see you again," she said with a smile.  
I smiled and nodded at her. "You too," I said. "I just met your twin."  
"Oh?" Silver asked. "I haven't seen Emily in years. I didn't even know she went to Hogwarts. I'd thought if she was a witch, Mum had sent her to Beuaxtans."  
"So you knew who Emily was?" I asked. "You knew you had a twin?"  
Silver nodded. "Mum and Dad split when we were still babies, but we met by coincidence when we were five. When Mum left, she took her maiden name back, and made Emily's last name that as well," she said. "It was uncanny really, when we first met. Kinda like looking in a mirror."  
I nodded as we walked into the class and sat in our seat. I sat directly in front of her. Reluctantly, I slid my wand up my sleeve and took out my book. I already knew ALL of the spells in it, but we didn't get to show off. NOOOOOO, we had to READ and COPY all period.  
But I guess Umbridge was right about something. You could learn, kinda, by just reading the book.  
I turned when I heard tapping against wood. Silver was tapping her wand against her desk, obviously not willing to put her wand away.  
"Silver, you'll get in trouble," I told her. Silver shrugged and slightly waved her wand. A small phoenix made of fire burst from it.  
"Like I care," Silver said. "Umbridge looks like a pink toad, and sounds like it too. I don't really care to know what a frog says."  
"No talking in the middle of class girls!" Umbridge said out of nowhere. "And it's time to put your wand away, Miss Riley." Silver huffed and as soon as Umbridge turned her back, she began mocking the very pink woman.  
I tried to muffled my giggles. Didn't work so well.  
"Miss Potter, Miss Riley!" Umbridge exclaimed, turning back sharply. "I strictly told you no talking." I would have denied talking, because we weren't, we'd been giggling, but Alvin butt in.  
"Sorry, Professor," he said. "That was my fault. I read something wrong in the book, and it looked quite funny how I read it." Umbridge huffed and turned back to her lecture.  
After class, the three of us walked out of class together. Silver bit her lip. "Um, Alvin, thanks. For getting us out of trouble," I told him.  
Silver nodded. "I was sure we'd get detention," she said. "So as our dear Karma just said, thanks Alvin. Maybe you're not to bad after all."  
Alvin shrugged. "I've been told I shouldn't be in Slytherin," he said.  
Awkward? Very. But he kinda just saved our butts from Umbridge. From Harry I knew exactly what she did in detention. I wasn't looking forward to ever going into it. But being a Potter, it was bound to happen.  
"Feel like hanging out after class with me and Silver?" I asked.  
"Karma!" Silver exclaimed. She looked august.  
"It's recently been brought to my attention that there is nothing that says that Slytherins are evil," I said. "You saved my life, and now you've saved me and Silver from a terrible detention, the least we can do is give you a chance."  
"But he's a Slytherin!" Silver exclaimed.  
"And I'm a Potter!" I said. "What's he difference at this point in time? Already your reputation is damaged by just being around me, and saying that you believe Harry. How different can it be?"  
Silver sighed and shrugged. "Fine," she said. "We can hang out after class together. But where? I'm not going to study hall, and neither of us are going to be allowed in the other's common room."  
I smiled at them. "Meet me by the picture of fruit by the Hufflepuff common room," I told them. "I'll tell you then."  
"What ARE you planning, Karma Potter?" Silver asked, smirking and folding her arms.  
"You'll see," I told her before we all had to dash off to out separate classes.

*Alvin's last name comes from the freanch word **ténèbres** meaing darkness, night, obscurity, blackness, murk, gloominess


End file.
